The surveying and geomatics professions work with private and public projects. Projects may include property surveys, road construction, topographical maps or building layout. The surveying curriculum offers a hands-on approach to learning the principles of surveying. Electronic surveying equipment and computer software are used throughout the coursework.

Geographic information systems (GIS) is a systematic approach to management, analysis, and display of geographic information. Many public agencies now use GIS for most of their mapping. Surveying, geomatics, and GIS often overlap.

To accomplish their objective, surveyors use elements of mathematics (geometry and trigonometry), physics, engineering and law.

Geomatics is a new term incorporating the older field of land surveying along with many other aspects of spatial data management and digital data processing.

Careers

The AS program at UCC has been developed for transfer to Geomatics and Surveying program at OIT. Based on information listed on the OIT website, the employment rate for OIT graduates is 95 percent during the last 5 years. The average annual salary listed by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is approximately $63,000 for all geomatics professionals. More information is available on the website for the OIT Geomatics and Surveying program.

Surveyors with a two-year AAS degree from UCC can take the Fundamentals of Land Surveying exam after two years of working in the profession. Students interested in the two-year educational track should visit the Civil Engineering and Surveying Technology web page.

Students should contact the UCC Engineering Faculty Advisor or the UCC Advising and Career Center to learn more about summer internship opportunities and opportunities for employment after graduation.

Transfer Guide

The curriculum for the AS degree prepares students for transfer to OIT, currently the only university in Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Geomatics. Please see the Advising Guide and OIT Articulation Agreement. The AAS degree is more applied and provides students with additional career pathways. Graduates of the AAS degree can take the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) exam after 2-years of work experience. Passing the FLS exam is one of requirements for licensing as a Professional Land Surveyor. UCC students can potentially select elective courses in the AAS program and receive both an AS in Geomatics and Surveying and an AAS in Civil Engineering and Surveying Technology. The pathways certificate includes 3 drafting courses, an introduction to surveying course, and trigonometry; the certificate provides an entry level pathway for working on a survey field crew.

Why UCC?

The freshman and sophomore years at most universities are designated pre-engineering, with the junior and senior years designated professional engineering. Many of the transfer courses during the first two years of study are math, science and elective courses. At UCC, you can take the required core courses in smaller classroom settings and at lower cost than at four-year institutions. The Associate of Science (AS) degree is awarded once all required courses, electives and general education requirements are successfully completed.

Contact

Prospective students should visit Advising and Career Services to get started and then see a program advisor (below) to develop a more focused educational plan.